The sport of scuba diving is the result of developments and innovations that began hundreds of years ago. Scuba diving is the most extensively used system for breathing underwater by recreational, scientific, commercial and military divers throughout the world.
Scuba diving equipment typically consists of masks, fins and a compressed air cylinder. Since recreational scuba began, it was deemed necessary for divers to wear some sort of safety vest, especially for surface support. Up through the 1960s, most divers used what is commonly referred to as a “snorkeler's vest”. These are much like an aviation vest, with a slender oral hose and a CO2 cartridge for emergency inflation.
With the expansion of recreation diving and the development of better vests and the concept of buoyancy control, the snorkeler's vest began to fade as the option of choice by most divers. The next incarnation of diving vest was still a vest, customarily called a “Mae West” vest. This unit had added a larger inflation hose, to be used under water, and added a crotch strap.
The introduction of the crotch strap became necessary because when a diver added air to the vest underwater it would make the vest positively buoyant. Typically, the diver would wear a weight system or belt to hold him or her down to counter the negative buoyancy so the vest and the weight system were countering each other, but there was no device to hold the diver down.
Later in diving development, a mechanical inflator was developed for use, in conjunction with the vest. The inflator allowed the air from the tank to fill the buoyancy control rather than requiring oral inflation of the vest.
The big advancement in the scuba diving vest system came with the introduction of the buoyancy control jacket. The buoyancy control jacket essentially integrated the tank backpack and vest into one unit for use by a diver. It was more comfortable and easier to wear. The crotch strap was eliminated and the jacket was an easier fit. The buoyancy control jacket also supported the tank's weight better while the diver was standing on dry land. More importantly, the jacket supported the tank's weight better underwater. The buoyancy control jacket allowed the air to travel within the vest having a bladder that extended behind the diver, which allowed the diver increased comfort in the water. When combined with the mechanical inflator, buoyancy compensation became standard which was employed by the vast majority of divers.
However, there existed several problems with the common buoyancy compensator. The buoyancy compensator was much looser than the old diving vests and there was no way to tighten it in the chest/shoulder area. Moreover, when the jacket was filled, it inflated the front of the jacket, which put considerable pressure on the diver's head between the two upper lobes of the jacket. In order to provide lift to the diver, the front chambers had to fill before the diver was lifted. The typical buoyancy control jacket would need considerable weight to produce lift and keep the diver under water. To achieve the high weight necessary, some manufacturers implemented weight-integrated jackets, allowing the diver to eliminate the belt by putting the weights into pockets or chambers in the buoyancy control unit. A problem associated with these integrated weight systems is that they do not eliminate the pressure on the head of the user when the jacket is inflated. Moreover, the weight systems did not eliminate the cumbersome feel and qualities of the jacket. The weight system tended to restrict access to gear that may be integrated into the jacket.
Recently, some manufacturers had the front air chambers removed by adding adjustable shoulder straps. The advantage to adding the adjustable shoulder straps instead of air chambers would allow for increased vision of the diver and make for a more comfortable fit. Moreover, the jackets are sleeker, more compact, and more comfortable. Today's vests and/or jackets are essentially the same as the jackets with removed chambers. Diving jackets and/or vests today have added some features that were not present in past vests, including increased lift capacity and a wider shoulder harness that offers added support to the diver. However, with all these added features comes added bulk, less sleekness and more uncomfortable fit.
Another feature which has been added to most vests and/or buoyancy compensator jackets is integrated weights. These buoyancy vests have integrated the weight systems that used to be a separate unit worn by the diver. The typical vest now has two front pockets, each holding lead weights, that slip into the vest easier even than donning a standard weight belt. The problem exists that many of these vests having the integrated weight systems, and the added features are very bulky and heavy for a user.
A further problem exists because the added weight and features that are incorporated into the jacket are very difficult for the user to access. Another problem exists wherein the air bladder that is in the front lobe portion of the jacket is either on top or beneath an integrated weight system or pocket when considering a horizontal plane passing through a diver's midsection. However, the positioning of the air bladder in this position restricts the movements of a diver in water and above water.
Yet another problem exists because the air bladder systems currently in use are not streamlined for easy access by the diver to gear he/she may have attached to the jacket. Still a further problem exists in prior art jackets because lift is much more difficult because of the positioning of the air bladder systems in these jackets.
What is needed is a jacket that has air containing portions directly above or below the integrated weight system when considering a plane parallel to the length of the diver. Further, a need exists for a jacket having an air bladder system contained within the front lobes of the jacket wherein the air in the front lobes allow for a streamlined bladder that provides for easier access to gear when it is positioned closer to the diver's body. Further, a need exists for a streamlined bladder that provides increased stability for entering and exiting the water. Further, a streamlined bladder is needed that minimizes the possibility of entanglement with nearby objects in a boat and/or in the water. Still further, a need exists for a streamlined bladder that makes movement in the water during partial inflation of the bladder easier as the moment created between the vector for lift and the center of gravity of the diver is minimized. A further need exists for a unique bladder design that adds lift making it easier to maintain various positions under and/or above the water.